To further evaluate the roles of the TSP-1 gene in ECM secretion of Thy-1 nephritis rats, the renal expression levels of fibronectin and collagen IV in the 4 groups were determined on d 7 after the induction of nephritis, and the results revealed that shTSP-1 treatment could remarkably inhibit the expression of fibronectin and collagen IV, while shCTR had no significant influence on it (Fig. 3). Here, THBS1 is linked to nephritis.